I do agree with Alysander - levelling the buildings in a way that they're poking from behind one another is a cool trick to make the town seem bigger without adding new buildings. And not only does Balmora already have something similar in Morrowind - also the "cliffy" shape of terrain is right for it, I could definetly see some levelling. And it also works with the fact that Balmora lies in a river valley (Odai could've sculpted multi levelled canyons).

Also,
Remember, remember, 18th of September, Alysander, Balmora and post.
He made a suggestion, that's not being questioned, and must never become lost.

I had an idea for an easy to make and nice, useful feature for later - add a gondolier that can take you to your Rethan manor if you have it as Hlaalu. Of course the gondolier would only appear after some middle stage of the building is complete - but it would make it so much more convenient to travel there, rather than just running. Who knows, maybe Hul could be that gondolier? She's an Argonian beggar with no role, so de-genericifying her is a possibility.

I know this is thing which doesn't completely exists in game but how about to add sewers to Balmora. We don't need even new assets, they could be vivec interiors. It would add a new cool underground level which could be connected with thieves guild. Of course inside will be place for homeless, thieves and criminals.

I did do some degree of multi-level streets, although there is the issue of space, the cliffs are not to be moved, and so there are some constraints in that regard. However, the challenge of space does help to make it feel less like terra formed landscape, by working with the cliff instead of against it. As a result, some buildings are partially carved into the cliff face. Balmora is quite an old city, contrasting with the new colonial developments, so I do want to make it feel that way in terms of the design of the overlook etc. If I had the assets, I could make something like this climb the cliff-face:

It should depend on how well the game can handle the new amount of detail in the city, if it needs to be brought into a new worldspace, that can be done later in development, but at least for now, it is open, and may remain that way.

First, this is amazing - the central canal thing and the expansion of the town is perfectly executed. Second however, I have some small criticisms regarding the rocks used around the town. The rocks around the town seem a little too reddish in hue. I'm not sure if that's something that can be changed (since Balmora is a town in the West gash afterall) or if yall would even agree with me on this, but I feel like Balmora should be surrounded by more of that sort of dark brownish hued rock like in the original. It really makes the houses stand out more against the environment. Also some of the rocks seem to be awkwardly jutting out of the buildings or sort of give the general feeling that they are sort of growing around the buildings instead of the other way around, idk it just doesn't seem very natural. I don't want to come off as seeming super critical or insulting your intelligence/vision because I understand all the hard work you put into this, and it certainly shows, don't get me wrong, this is absolutely gorgeous, I just feel like some parts of the surrounding/inner landscape could be cleaned up a bit to look a bit more aesthetically graceful and pleasing however difficult that might be. Keep up the good work though man, you ought to make all of the towns.

Yeah, I'm still working on the design, but the den itself wouldn't be in the open, there would be a tunnel-alley, where a door in there would house the entrance to the den. I would make the alley in the exterior worldspace, but the cliff doesn't leave room for that.

Good ser, I admire your work. You really have an awesome feel for this, would not even have thought of including a skooma den. What's the relationship between the Skooma Dealers and the Camonna Tong? Perhaps there could be the occasional fisticuffs over territorial dominance? Anyway, can't wait for more of your work bringing Balmora alive!

Looks awesome man. But I do have to admit. It would look cooler with brick flooring or something instead of red stone slabs. Or make it more like a brick path or something instead of just a rock floor for the city.

I like the stone for the floor, since it's just a den chiselled into the cliffside, but what I'd really like to see there is some ragged mats and carpets lying around for junkies to sit on ;) If we have such assets of course, but I think I saw those in some thread (alternatively Skyrim and Dragonborn surely has some).

Hmm, now I see there were some mattresses and pillows in previous screenshots, as well as a wooden floor, so something's telling me that it's not the same interior and doesn't have the same function.

The den is the part with the wooden floor and cushions, while the other part is an old alleyway (Ald Desroth Alley) that the den is located within. I do plan on giving Balmora a new road texture that is more faithful to the original Morrowind design, that will come at some point in the future.

That looks really nice! For the alley, though, I planned on using the same texture as the road. In the Vanilla Balmora, the upper class part of town uses a different road paving, the same as what Caldera uses, so perhaps the Overlook could keep the rounded stones it has, but the main 'districts' have the larger rectangular road stones seen in the original Morrowind.

This door leads into the skooma den, I'm trying to set it up so that upon trying to open it for the first time, the slot will open, revealing the figure of a Dunmer or Khajiit, and the player will be prompted to respond with a phrase for him to open the door. The design will likely be changed (this is Esbern's door from Skyrim). I want to change the studded look, because it seems a bit too Nordic for Balmora. Anyway, the den viewed from the entrance side:

The back door will lead to the Skooma distillery, and trying to pick the lock/get back there will provoke the enforcers to go after the player.

This is so athmospheric, looks absolutely awesome! I've once seen a mod in Morrowind, that at some point in the main quest, added hidden shrines of Sixth House (as well as their graffitis popping up here and there), to show that Dagoth worship is also going on in towns. If we ever even consider doing something like this, I think this would be a perfect location for their meetings ;)

Very cool work. I thought this was going to be a port / exact remake. Apparently it's going to be stylized. Why Bethesda won't accept it is beyond me, other than the fact that they would hate competition.

Very cool work. I thought this was going to be a port / exact remake. Apparently it's going to be stylized. Why Bethesda won't accept it is beyond me, other than the fact that they would hate competition.

They don't accept it on official sites(and Nexus banned it by choice, not by order) because not every asset from Morrowind actually belonged to Bethesda. Some were just licensed to them for Morrowind and using those assets in other Bethesda games is illegal. So Bethesda doesn't want it on official sites in case the companies that licensed the assets to them get the wrong idea. But most of these assets are being replaced so eventually Skywind should be allowed on official sites.

More detail, and buttresses, because I didn't think it looked Hlaalu enough without them:

Hey Iceflame, Loving it! I dont want to nitpick so early in development, seeing as i'm just a filthy casual lurker, but just one thing: the area just in front of the stairs seems to slope down very steeply, this at first sight doesn't seem to practical for people to pass by. Of course, i haven't seen the rest of the picture from another angle, so my judgement might be off. Just a headsup :) keep up the good work!